1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless remote control for an electronic device being adapted to provide signals understood by a computer/CPU. More particularly, the present invention relates to a computer system having a receiver for receiving wireless remote commands such that the wireless remote commands are converted into standard keyboard signals having both "make" and "break" portions of the signal indicating at least that a button was both pressed and released.
2. Description of the Related Art
A personal computer/television (PC/TV) convergence device is a fully functional computer integrated with the functionality of a television. The PC/TV provides a TV mode for viewing television related information (e.g., via broadcast, cable, satellite, VCR, digital disk, or other broadcast media). The PC/TV also provides a computer mode for computing functionality. Thus, the convergence of computer and TV functionalities enables a user at least the combined access of television program information, computer related functionality, and Internet access.
A PC/TV convergence device may comprise a fully functional computer which may include a memory, microprocessor, hard drive, floppy disc drive, fax modem, CD-ROM player, keyboard, monitor, power supply, mouse, game pad/joy stick, microphone, etc. The computer is interfaced with a television or monitor such that the television's or monitor's normal National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) signal is converted to a scan "video graphics adapter" (VGA) signal or the computer's scan VGA signal is converted to an NTSC interface signal.
The PC/TV convergence device is controlled by the computer's operating system (OS). The monitor can display both TV programs and computer applications either at the same time (in separate windows) or in separate modes. Furthermore, the convergence of a PC and a TV into a single system permits the utilization of the communication bandwidth, mass storage, and graphic applications to store and display applications within a television viewing environment. Basically, the computer is merged with consumer electronic functionality thereby enabling an average consumer to take advantage of many computing functions in an easy to use consumer oriented product.
The PC/TV changes a typical television from a passive device to a user interactive device. For example, while a user is watching TV, the user can request the PC/TV to download information from another source, (besides a TV station) such as the Internet, information about, among other things, the TV program. Such information can originate from a web site or via telephone lines or from other data providers.
At present, televisions and personal computers are separate devices. A TV may incorporate a remote control. A standard TV remote control may control a variety of functions of or related to the TV. The remote control transmits infrared (IR) signals to the TV in order to indicate which button on the remote control was depressed.
Also at present, there exists IR computer keyboards. An IR keyboard allows the user to operate a computer without a wire being connected between the IR keyboard and the computer. This provides the user freedom of movement.
When a key is pressed on the IR keyboard, an IR "make" signal is repetitiously sent from the keyboard's IR transmitter and received by an IR receiver associated with the computer. When the same key is released, an IR "break" signal associated with the key is transmitted from the IR keyboard to the computer. The combination of make and break signals informs the computer or CPU that the key on the IR keyboard was pressed and held for a certain period of time and then released.
Since a CPU requires a computer keyboard make and break code for each key press of an IR keyboard, it follows that a CPU would not be able to correctly interpret the IR codes sent from a standard TV remote control. Thus, if a remotely controlled television system and a computer where merged into a PC/TV the converged system would not be able to understand remote control button presses for control of the television. Also, if an IR computer keyboard were used to communicate with the TV system and if some of the remote TV controls were mapped into the IR computer keyboard, the IR receiver associated with the TV would not understand the make and break codes provided by the IR keyboard.
Another problem of operating a PC converged with a television or any other remotely controllable electronic device, would be that if the computer/CPU received an IR signal from the TV remote control, the computer would never receive a break code indicating that the button on the remote control was released. That is, the CPU would only receive a signal from the remote control indicating that a button was pressed, but there would be no signal indicating that the remote control button was depressed.